Literature Reviews

Reviewed research papers, articles, and publications relevant to digital accessibility.

• Universal and Ubiquitous Web Access with Capti

  Yevgen Borodin, Andrii Sovyak, Alexander Dimitriyadi, Yury Puzis, Valentyn Melnyk, Faisal Ahmed, Glenn Dausch, I. V. Ramakrishnan (2012) — Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This demo paper presents Capti, a cross-platform web browsing application designed to make web access more usable for both blind and sighted users. Capti addresses two interconnected problems: the inefficiency of traditional screen readers for findin…

  • screen readers
  • assistive technology
  • blind and low vision
  • text-to-speech
  • universal design
  • mobile accessibility
  • web accessibility

• Towards Ubiquitous Accessibility: Capability-based Profiles and Adaptations, Delivered via the Semantic Web

  Matthew Tylee Atkinson, Matthew J. Bell, Colin H. C. Machin (2012) — Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper from Loughborough University proposes using semantic web technologies (RDF and OWL) to deliver capability-based user profiles and adaptive accessibility solutions across devices and platforms. The authors argue that the current assistive t…

  • adaptive interfaces
  • personalization
  • semantic web
  • user modeling
  • assistive technology
  • universal design
  • accessibility standards
  • user profiles

• The False Dichotomy between Accessibility and Usability

  Ed H. Chi (2013) — Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This keynote paper by Ed H. Chi of Google argues that the traditional separation between accessibility research and usability/HCI research is a false dichotomy built on two myths. The first myth is the "average user" — HCI research inherited this con…

  • usability
  • accessibility theory
  • universal design
  • inclusive design
  • human-computer interaction
  • design theory

• GenURC: Generation Platform for Personal and Context-Driven User Interfaces

  Gottfried Zimmermann, J. Bern Jordan, Parikshit Thakur, Yuvarajsinh Gohil (2013) — Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents GenURC, a component within the Universal Remote Console (URC) framework that automatically generates user interfaces adapted to individual users' preferences, device characteristics, and situational context. The URC framework (sta…

  • adaptive user interfaces
  • personalization
  • universal design
  • smart home accessibility
  • user preferences
  • GPII
  • context-aware computing
  • motor accessibility
  • low vision

• Exploring Web Accessibility Solutions in Developing Regions as Innovations for the Benefit of All

  Shadi Abou-Zahra, Shawn Lawton Henry (2010) — Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  Written by two leaders of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, this paper explores the particular web accessibility challenges facing people with disabilities in developing regions and argues that solving these challenges will drive innovations bene…

  • Global South accessibility
  • digital divide
  • universal design
  • digital inclusion
  • multilingual accessibility
  • W3C
  • developing regions
  • assistive technology
  • disability rights

• A Simple Solution: Solution Migration from Disabled to Small Device Context

  Yeliz Yesilada, Tianyi Chen, Simon Harper (2010) — Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper demonstrates how accessibility solutions developed for motor-impaired desktop users can be migrated to benefit small-device (mobile) users who experience similar input difficulties. The authors had previously replicated a study originally …

  • motor accessibility
  • mobile accessibility
  • input methods
  • situational impairment
  • error correction
  • universal design
  • assistive technology

• Essential Components of Mobile Web Accessibility

  Shadi Abou-Zahra, Judy Brewer, Shawn Lawton Henry (2013) — Proceedings of the 10th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  Written by three leaders of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, this paper examines how the shift from desktop to mobile and ubiquitous computing affects the interdependent components that together enable web accessibility. The authors outline eigh…

  • mobile accessibility
  • web standards
  • WCAG
  • WAI-ARIA
  • W3C
  • universal design
  • assistive technology
  • HTML5
  • user agents

• Web accessibility and people with dyslexia: a survey on techniques and guidelines

  Vagner Figueredo de Santana, Rosimeire de Oliveira, Leonelo Dell Anhol Almeida, Maria Cecília Calani Baranauskas (2012) — Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A)

  This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the state of the art on dyslexia and web accessibility, synthesising findings from academic research, dyslexia organisations (particularly the British Dyslexia Association), and practitioner guidance into…

  • dyslexia
  • cognitive accessibility
  • web accessibility guidelines
  • readability
  • inclusive design
  • universal design
  • typography

• The role of accessibility in a universal web

  Shawn Lawton Henry, Shadi Abou-Zahra, Judy Brewer (2014) — Proceedings of the 11th Web for All Conference (W4A)

  Written by leaders of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), this communications paper clarifies the relationship between web accessibility and broader concepts like universal design, inclusive design, and design for all. The authors argue that …

  • universal design
  • web accessibility
  • inclusive design
  • situational limitations
  • mobile accessibility
  • digital inclusion
  • W3C
  • WAI
  • progressive enhancement
  • responsive design

• Towards a unified definition of web accessibility

  Helen Petrie, Andreas Savva, Christopher Power (2015) — Proceedings of the 12th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This paper conducts a systematic conceptual analysis of 50 definitions of web accessibility drawn from books, academic papers, standards documents, guidelines, and online sources spanning 1996 to 2014, authored by researchers and practitioners from 2…

  • web accessibility
  • accessibility definitions
  • usability
  • assistive technology
  • older users
  • universal design
  • accessibility standards